Bangs with benefits: Why we love bang hairstyles

Beauty

Bangs with benefits: Why we love bang hairstyles

Whenever a celebrity debuts new bangs, the Internet explodes with before-and-after pictures and "dramatic transformation" headlines. It happens regularly because bangs are always in style and they're an easy way to alter your look.

Whenever a celebrity debuts new bangs, the Internet explodes with before-and-after pictures and "dramatic transformation" headlines. It happens regularly because bangs are always in style and they're an easy way to alter your look.

For some women, their first fringe turns into a lifelong accessory. Canadian-born Mosha Lundström Halbert, 29, fashion director at Footwear News/Women's Wear Daily, has worn blunt bangs since childhood. "It's the first thing people notice about me," she says.

By contrast, Jennifer Thompson, 44, says her signature 'do came later in life, when she tried a bob with bangs at 35, and it instantly felt right. "This hairstyle identifies me to the point that new friends don't even recognize me when I have my hair pulled back in photos," says the president of Toronto-based JT & Company, a marketing PR firm.

Jennifer Thompson, president of JT & Company

There are many thing that both women love about a fringe such as its ability to draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones while offsetting less desirable features such as an irregular hairline and forehead creases. Some say bangs are even better than Botox. For Mosha, they don't just minimilize the appearance of wrinkles—"they push pause on the aging clock, because they create consistency."

A fringe can also make any hairstyle look polished. "It's my ultimate beauty trick," says Mosha. "I just blow-dry my bangs and slick the rest of my hair into a low chignon. It looks like I'm perfectly coiffed even though I'm not." Jennifer feels her bangs add the finishing touch, just like a "great pair of heels or a dynamic handbag." For that reason, both women plan on a long-term relationship with bangs.

Of course, most fringes need to be trimmed every two to three weeks, and they require a certain amount of styling skill. Plus, they're prone to greasiness and (for some!) mid-parting.

Fast facts

1. Women with round faces can have bangs! They will actually de-emphasize the shape.

2. The most universally flattering and modern length for a blunt bang is between the eyebrows and the lash line.

3. Bangs are easiest to manage for women who have straight hair of medium thickness.

Start with very wet bangs. Using a paddle brush with mixed bristles, brush and blow-dry your fringe in one direction across your forehead, then brush the opposite direction. Continue this process until your bangs are completely dry.

Can I use styling products on my fringe?

After blow-drying, spritz with a firm-hold hairspray.

It's humid and I'm prone to a greasy forehead. What should I do?

Dust your face with translucent powder. You can also gently back-comb the underside of your bangs to lift them ever so slightly off your forehead.

This article was originally published in the October 2015 issue of Canadian Living.